Generally, there are two approaches utilized in the manufacturing and transporting of bulk explosives or bulk blasting agents that are used in mining operations. Bulk explosives and blasting agents are collectively referred to hereinafter as explosives. The first approach involves manufacturing the bulk explosive at a fixed site by mixing the constituents of the explosive and, if needed, performing other operations on the mixture. One or more vehicles are then used to convey the explosive produced at the fixed site to a blast hole site. One advantage of this approach is that the composition of the explosive can be carefully controlled.
The second approach involves providing a mobile platform that has two or more tanks that each hold one or more of the constituents needed to manufacture the explosive and a mixing apparatus for mixing the constituents of the explosive with one another. Typically, the tanks of the mobile platform are loaded with the constituents of the explosive at a fixed site. After the tanks have been loaded, the mobile platform proceeds to a blast hole site. The mixing of the constituents occurs either at the blast hole site or on the journey to the blast hole site. One advantage of this approach is that the creation of the explosive can be delayed until the mobile platform is at the blast hole site or on the mine property.
Regardless of the approach utilized in the manufacturing and transporting of explosive, there is a need to be able to weigh the explosive and/or the constituents of the explosives during transport. For example, such weighing can be important in assuring that the proper amount of explosive was loaded onto a vehicle that is transporting the explosive from a fixed site that manufactures the explosive. Likewise, the ability to weigh can be important in assuring that the proper amount of each constituent was loaded on to a vehicle that mixes the constituents together. Weighing can also be important in determining if any explosive or constituents of an explosive have been removed from a vehicle between two different times or two different locations. Further, weighing can also be important in determining the cost of explosive that has been loaded into one or more blast holes.
Prior approaches to providing the ability to weigh bulk explosive or the constituents of a bulk explosive during transport have had limited success. This is particularly the case with respect to the transport of bulk explosive or constituents of bulk explosives on mine sites that have rough terrain. Generally, weighing of bulk explosive or the constituents of bulk explosives that are on a mobile platform has been performed with one or more load cells that each extend between a frame and a tank. To perform meaningful weighing measurements, the load cell or cells must bear the full weight of the tank that contains the bulk explosive or a constituent of a bulk explosive. In known prior approaches, the structure used to assure that the load cell or cells bear the full weight of the tank endeavor to keep the portion or portions of a load cell that contact the frame and the portion or portions of the load cell that contact the tank from shifting. This structure is, however, unable to counteract certain forces that commonly act on the tank as the vehicle travels over uneven terrain. As a consequence, the tank shifts and the ability of the load cell to make a measurement is compromised or the cell is damaged. In some cases, the tank can become disengaged from the vehicle.